Return to Fourwinds - Elizabeth Gifford

At Fourwinds they gather: Alice and Ralph, Patricia and Peter, to celebrate the marriage of their children. The marquee is on the lawn, breathing in and out in the summer heat. But the bride is nowhere to be seen.

As both families are drawn together, the past floods through the corridors of the old house. What secret has Ralph been keeping from his wife? What is it about Alice's wartime encounter with Peter that has haunted her ever since? And what could have caused Sarah to vanish without a word to any of the people she loves?

Moving from the orange groves of Valencia and the spacious houses of the British countryside to the post-war slums in the north, Return to Fourwinds is a sweeping, lyrical story of the things we tell and the things we keep to ourselves. Is Sarah's disappearance a culmination of the pressures that have kept the two families apart? Or can they work together to bring her back to Fourwinds? 

My thoughts:

As for big secrets, yeah, I would not say they were big. People were just stupid. Everything had to be perfect, to look perfect, and if something was the slightest off, not good. They came from that era so it was understandable.

The book starts with Nicky and Sarah about to get married. She runs away and we go back in time.

Alice who grew up privileged, but not privileged enough for some so she strive for perfection.

Ralph her husband grew up in Spain. His story is the one of his mother and her new husband and the secrets there.

Then we have Patricia and Peter. Patricia does not really have a secret, and neither does Peter. But Peter grew up in the slums and wanted to make something for himself. He also knows Alice from the war. Ok so that secret was not really something she should feel bad about.

Their life before the war, and during the war, and after it. Lives were shaped. But I must say, Sarah's choice had nothing to do with those secrets. I'd rather have it as an aftermath of all of that. She still had a secret and I will say nothing more than I totally understood why she ran.

I liked what we later learned about Spain, now there was a book. I also liked the social clashes. Rich and poor. Newly rich. They all looked down on someone else.

Conclusion:

An interesting book

Cover

Ok

Paperback, 368 pages
Published June 4th 2015 by Corvus
Historical fiction
For review

One night with a billionaire - Jessica Clare

Kylie may be a makeup artist to the stars, but she knows what it feels like to be overshadowed. Especially by her famous boss, the pop star Daphne. That’s why she’s stunned—and delighted—when one night at a party, she attracts the attention of a gorgeous stranger. But when Daphne decides she wants the handsome billionaire for herself, Cade Archer is suddenly off-limits for Kylie…

Cade has known Daphne for years, and always wondered if she might be the right woman for him—even though she never gave him the time of day. But one sizzling night with Kylie has changed everything. So why is she suddenly avoiding him? Fortunately Cade is determined to get what he wants, and he’ll do anything to show Kylie she can get everything she wants too… 

My thoughts:

Yes it was part 6 of a series, and yes I thought it worked perfectly as a stand alone. I did not have to deal with the baggage then.

Cade is a billionaire. He has been in love with Daphne for ages. Daphne was a total bitch, who did drugs and would be dead in 6 months. Get over her man!

Kylie is a make up artist. She gets a job for the druggie superstar Daphne, who looks like shit. But Kylie knows her make-up magic.

Cade and Kylie meet. Sparks fly. Maybe Cade can forget about Daphne who never changes...duh, of course he will. He is tired of her BS and they will never happen. While Kylie is vibrant, really curvy and all woman. Ok so yes I liked that she was curvy, but what does that mean? I am curvy on top, but was she healthy curvy? What is 18? I hope so. Still it was nice, though I kept wondering about that....

Kylie wants to keep her job. Cade wants her. That is the drama. Oh and that Kylie is WAY too stubborn. She gets into trouble. Cade loves her, he has MONEY. He could help her. But she would rather ditch him and do it all herself, which she can't. Seriously woman, he wont think less of you, but he will if you do not want him because you are a stubborn mule. That was the only time she annoyed me. Everyone needs help now and then.

But it was lovely to see him chase her, you go man! 

Conclusion:

A lovely romance. I'd read more in this series. 

Cover

eh

Kindle Edition 200ish?
Published June 2nd 2015 by Berkley
Billionaire Boys Club #6
Contemporary romance
Own

Those we love most - Lee Woodruff

On a warm June day, Maura Corrigan is walking with her nine-year-old son, James, as he rides his bike to school. The unthinkable happens: he darts onto the street and is hit by Alex, a 17-year-old neighbor. As if James's death isn't tragic enough for the Corrigan family, in its wake an intricate web of relationships, secrets, and betrayals begins to unravel.

Told through the perspective of four family members, Those We Love Most chronicles how this sudden twist of fate forces each of them to confront their choices, examine their mistakes, and fight for their most valuable relationships. It asks the age-old question: Why do we hurt the ones we love most? Then it shows us how we can, in the most difficult of times, forgive ourselves and others for our transgressions. 

My thoughts:

When I want to read something with a good story, or good writing, I do try to go for fiction. Not that other genres do not have this, of course they do, but lit fic is just different from the other books I read. Because it is real ;D

And here it was sad, and made you think...

Maura is walking her kids to school when she looks away for a sec and her son dies in a traffic accident. She blames herself, and she is drifting away from her husband. Her husband Pete who drinks too much, and later drinks even more to drown his own sorrow. Can they ever find their way back to each other.

Then we have her parents, Margaret who is happy at home, and her husband Roger who works a lot and is seeing someone on the side. Margaret was old school who held her tongue and wanted things to look perfect. I could not have done that if I was her. Sure they still loved each other but still..

There are different ways to deal with sorrow, different ways to moving on. The book is not all SAD. Sure it was sad when it happens, but the book is not about death, but about coping with it. And about love, and forgiveness.

Conclusion:

I enjoyed it. 

Cover

good

Hardcover, 320 pages
Published September 11th 2012 by Hyperion
Fiction
Own

Fool's Assassin - Robin Hobb

Tom Badgerlock has been living peaceably in the manor house at Withywoods with his beloved wife Molly these many years, the estate a reward to his family for loyal service to the crown.

But behind the facade of respectable middle-age lies a turbulent and violent past. For Tom Badgerlock is actually FitzChivalry Farseer, bastard scion of the Farseer line, convicted user of Beast-magic, and assassin. A man who has risked much for his king and lost more…

On a shelf in his den sits a triptych carved in memory stone of a man, a wolf and a fool. Once, these three were inseparable friends: Fitz, Nighteyes and the Fool. But one is long dead, and one long-missing.

Then one Winterfest night a messenger arrives to seek out Fitz, but mysteriously disappears, leaving nothing but a blood-trail. What was the message? Who was the sender? And what has happened to the messenger?

Suddenly Fitz's violent old life erupts into the peace of his new world, and nothing and no one is safe. 

My thoughts:

I remember reading my first Fitz book back in the day *happy sigh*. It was wonderful, and sad. Later her books just got depressing. I sure hope that wont happen here :/

So Fitz is back, he is living at Whitywoods with Molly. It's a quiet life, he does not wanna go back to Buckkeep and all that. The book shows us his life, years go by. I love the daily life stories, that is what she is so good at. I do not need an army attacking, a dragon eating villages. I can just enjoy the simple life. The pretty prose. But yes of course things are brewing. They do want him back in some capacity. Something strange is happening, someone wants to get in contact with him. I guess book 2 will be more about that. The getting action part.

This book is getting to know Fitz again. I do love him, I feel so sorry for him. At one point I felt that sadness again, you know, the sadness over Nighteyes. There is another POV too, I really can't say anything about that, but the POV was clear, brilliant and strange, in a way I can't tell you. A great POV with questions that needs answering.

And the book ends with a cliffie. Noooo, you scream. Yes, sadly a cliffie. It will put book 2 in a different light. An angry light to be sure. No one messes with Fitz.

Conclusion:

Awww, I enjoyed this book. Today I read for 3 hours straight so that I could finish it. For a 600 page book it felt so light. I can't wait to read more.

And yes there are books before this series, so I would say read those first if you want the whole story.

Cover

ok

Hardcover, UK Edition, 630 pages
Published August 12th 2014 by Harper Voyager
The Fitz and The Fool Trilogy #1, Realms of the Elderlings #14
Fantasy
Library